Donald Jamar Hales, known to friends and family as Donnie, was a man whose life was defined by a passion for food and an immense love for his family. At 45 years old, he was a devoted husband to his wife, Yolanda Smith, a loving father to his three children, Jamier, Destiny, and Don’Najah, and a proud grandfather to Kayden. From a young age, Donnie found joy in the kitchen, cooking alongside his mother and grandmother.
This passion led him to earn a Certificate and an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts Technology from Cincinnati State. He put his skills to use as a Food Service Coordinator for the Hamilton County Community Action Agency and was also an employee at Kroger, where he met many lifelong friends. Those who knew him described Donnie as extraordinary, a man full of life and laughter whose radiant spirit could brighten any room.
An active and sports-loving person, Donnie enjoyed football, baseball, and basketball. His favorite NFL team was the New Orleans Saints, a passion he shared with many of his friends. He was remembered by a friend of three decades, Joe Matheis, as being "like a little brother I never had" and the life of any party. Another friend, Voiselle Dunn, bonded with Donnie over their shared love for the Saints after meeting at the Kroger where he worked. Donnie’s greatest joy, however, was his children. He took immense pride in watching them grow and was a constant source of encouragement, advice, and unwavering support in their lives.
On the afternoon of Sunday, September 27, 2026, Donnie was at Fricker's Bar and Grill on Goodman Avenue in North College Hill, watching football with friends. Around 5 p.m., an argument, reportedly stemming from trash talk about a football game, began inside the restaurant between Donnie and another patron, 44-year-old Aaron Peavy. The conflict escalated and moved outside into the parking lot. A 911 caller reported seeing people fighting and then saw guns. "Shots are just fired. Shots are fired. Shots are fired," the caller told the dispatcher.
According to the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office, Aaron Peavy forced Donnie into the parking lot at gunpoint and struck him with the firearm, causing him to bleed. As restaurant employees tried unsuccessfully to intervene, a struggle ensued. Prosecutors stated that Aaron Peavy lost his weapon, and Donnie, who was bleeding, drew his own gun. At that point, Aaron's 22-year-old son, Brian Peavy, allegedly picked up his father's gun. The three men wrestled for control of Donnie's firearm, which discharged during the struggle. Authorities reported that Brian Peavy then stepped back and fired six shots at Donnie.
When North College Hill police officers arrived, they found two victims. Donnie was on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds, and a second person had been shot in the arm. Both were transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where Donald Jamar Hales was pronounced dead despite life-saving efforts.
The North College Hill Police Department led the investigation. On Friday, October 16, 2026, authorities arrested Aaron and Brian Peavy. A Hamilton County grand jury indicted both men on multiple felony charges. Brian Peavy was charged with murder, felonious assault, and abduction. Aaron Peavy faced charges of murder, felonious assault, kidnapping, abduction, possessing criminal tools, and illegal possession of a firearm in a liquor establishment. Both men were booked into the Hamilton County Justice Center.
In the days following the shooting, friends gathered outside Fricker's to remember a man they loved, leaving black and gold balloons in honor of his devotion to the Saints. His friend Joe Matheis called the killing "senseless," adding, "To lose it over some sports or a disagreement is just too much, man. It needs to stop. Put the guns down." Voiselle Dunn, who had been with Donnie just before the shooting, expressed his disbelief. "Donnie is not a troublemaker, nothing like that," he said. "He likes sports. He likes football." The case against the Peavys was proceeding through the Hamilton County court system as of October 2026. Anyone with information was asked to contact the North College Hill Police Department or Detective Whyle at 513-931-1177.
